Display case for brick



July 10, 1928. 1,676,445

W. C. KOCH DISPLAY CASE FOR BRICK Filed April 20, 1925 INVENTOR Mvcfi Patented July 10, less;

PATENT OFFKQE.

WILLIAM C. KOCH, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

DISPLAY CASE FOR BRICK.

Application filed April 20, 1925. SerialNo. 24,317.

It is my object to provide a novel tray hereinafter described.

or case'adaptedto hold a number of brick samples in such a way that they present the appearance of a portion of a wall havlng mortar between bricks.

A further object is to provide a display case of this kind with eflicient and simple means for firmly holding the brick samples, said means being adapted to be quickly and easily manipulated to grip or release the samples. Such means facilitate-change n the character of the bricks displayed and 1n their arrangement or the design of the wall illustrated.

Another object of this invention is to providegripping members formed to so direct lateral pressure as to oppose the tendency of the brick to bulge upward out of the tray and thereby adapt the case to firmly hold relatively thin slabbed ofi' faces of bIlOk. This" invention also includes certain other novel features of construction, which will be more fully pointed out in the following specification and claims. 1 In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated the best form of my display case at present known tome. Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged section of the same taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the angle of the gripping surfaces with the vertical being exaggerated for clearness; Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of one of the fastening devices mounted on the bottom of the tray; Fig. 4 is a section through one of the side fastening devices taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 5 is an end view of one of the spacing bars.

As shown in the drawings, I provide a tray having longitudinal side members 6, end members 7 and a bottom 8, said members and bottom being securely joined one to another to form a rigid structure. Extending the length of the case in parallel relation with the members 6 is a series of flexible strips 9, 9. and 9 severally adapted to To maintain the strips 9, EV and 9 in proper, upright and spaced relation, I provide a series of short, transverse bars 11, preferably provided with thin sheet metal bases 12 adapted to rest upon the bottom 8 of the tray. \Vhen in place in the display case, the strips 9, 9 and and bars 11 illustrate the mortar in which the bricks are to be laid.

Fastened by screws 13. at spaced intervals in one of the side members 6 of the tray is a series of metal plates 14 carrying set screws 15. These screws 15 extend'through holes in the members 6 and arearranged with their curfed ends outward, so as to facilitate manipulating the same. The inner ends of the screws 15 are adapted to impinge against a bar 16 of spring steel, which extends the length of the case and constitutes an abutment for all of the screws 15.

To further secure the central strips 9' against falling-out of the case, in the event thatthe same'should be inverted, I secure a series of slotted discs 17 to the bottom 8 and form grooves 18 beneath said discs to receive the heads 19 of screws secured in the lower edges of the strips 9 Thus, as will be readily understood, the heads 19 may be inserted in ends of the grooves 18 beyond the discs 17, when the strip 9 may be'moved to carry the shanks of the fastening screws into the slots in the discs 17 and thereby bring the heads 19 into engagement with said discs beneath the margins of the slots. These fastening discs 17, while desirable in the event that the case is to be carried about and subjected to rough handling, are not considered essential to the invention. The peculiar form of the strips 9, 9 and 9 insures secure fastening for most uses to which the device is adapted.

An important feature of my invention is the peculiar formation and arrangement of the strip 9, 9 and 9 which transmit gripping pressure to the samples. Thus, the side bearing surfaces of each of the strips 9 converge downward so that increased pressure may be applied 'near the upper corners of the adjacent samples, while the strips 9' converge upward to produce gripping near the lower corners of the central samples in the tray. The strips 9 are formed with their greatest thickness intermediate the upper and lower edges thereof. By this ar rangement the gripping force upon the samples is directed approximately as indicated by arrows in Fig. 2,that is, obliquely down ward against the bottom 8 from both sides. In this manner the brick samples arepressed firmly against the bottom of the tray and are prevented from bulging away .from the bottom when placed under lateral pressure.

' the spring bar 16 against the adjacent bar 9',

which in turn clamps orv grips the samples and others'bars 9 and 9. By reason of the resilient nature ot the bars 9, S), 9 and 16, any irregularities or inequalities in thewidth oi the samples, are compensated for, and :lirm, uniform engagement 18 obtained.

Obviously the oblique ,gripping produced by tapering the strips 9, 9, and9 as shown could also be produced byltaperingthe edges of the samples 10 and any such substitution of means consideredwithin the spiritof my invention. I prefer the form shown, however, becausethe work of preparing a large number of samples for the case is thus -niinimized.

My improved display case affords inexpensive and convenient means for transportingand displaying bricksa-mples 1n attracjtive 5 arrangement.

Having described my invention what I claim asnew and desire to protect by Let- .ters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, atray, adapted to receive a pluralityof brick samplesarranged in rows to presentithe appearanceof a wall, a series of flexible spacing strips severallydisposed between rows of said samples, means-for movably securing said stripsto the'bottom of said tray and for permitting individual, lateral movement of said strips, a flexible bar extending along one side of the tray in parallel relation to the rows of samples, and set screws threaded in a side, of the tray and arranged to impinge at their inner ends against said last men tioned bar to exert lateral gripping pres-sure upon the rows of samples.

2. :In a device of the class described, a trayadapted to receive a plurality of brick samples arranged in rows to present the appearance of a Wall, upwardly projecting sides on said tray, a series of flexible spacing strips severall adapted to be inserted between rows 0. said samples, a flexible bar extending along the inner face of one side of the tray in parallel relation to the rows of sample-s,and set screws threaded in said side otthe tray and arranged to impinge at their inner ends against said last mentioned bar to exert lateral gripping pressure upon ,all therowsof samples and upon the spacing strips.

3. In a device of the class described, a tray adapted to receive a plurality of rectangular brick samples arranged in rows, a series of parallel spacing strips severally disposed between rows of said samples, 'thG;bB 2\1- ing surfaces between said strips and samples being beveled to direct lateral pressure 0b: liqnely downward against the bottomo'f the tray and means adapted to be manipulated to exert lateral pressure upon the rows of samples.

4. In a device of the class described a tray adapted to receive a plurality of Icetangular brick samples arranged in rows, a series of spacing strips severally disposed between rows 01' said samples, the bearing surfaces between said samples and/strips being beveled to direct lateral pressure obliquely against the bottom of said tray, a flexible bar extending along onesideof the tray in parallel relation to the rows of samples, and means in engagement with said last mentionedbar adapted-to exertglateral pressure uponitherows of samples. 7

5. In a device of the class described, a tray adapted to receive a plurality of brick samples arranged in rows a series of, strips severally disposed between rows oi said samples, one of said strips near a side of the tray having its greatest thickness near its upper edge and another of said stripshaving its greatest thickness near its lower, edge whereby lateral pressure is directed obliquely toward the bottom of the tray, and means adapted to exert lateral gripping pressure upon-the rows ofsamples.

6. In a devicev of the class described, a tray adapted toreceive a plurality of brick samples arranged in rows, strips near the longitudinal sides of said trayhaving downwardly converging gripping surtacesm strip near the-middle. of saidtra'y having upwardly converging gripping surfaces, said strips being severally adapted to be nserted between rows of said samples, and means adapt ,ed to exert lateral gripping pressure upon the rows of samples and uponsa d strips.

7. In a device of the class described, a tray adapted to receive a plnralityofbrick samples arranged in rows, a series of parallel spacing strip-s severally disposed between rows of the samples, said strips being free for lateral movement to permit ready insertion of the samples between them, a flexible bar extending adjacent to the in ner face of a side of the tray in parallel relation to the rows of samples and a series 1 of screws threaded in said side of the tray and arranged to extend through said side with their inner ends implnglng agalnst said bar whereby all of the samples and strips may be shifted laterally to exert lateral gripping pressure upon the several 10 samples.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM C. KOCH. 

